Air conditioning method and system



United States Patent 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1960 4/1967 Smithet Primary Examiner-Charles Sukalo [72] Inventor [22] Filed Aug. 1, 1968 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 661,438, Aug. 17, 1967, abandoned. [45] patented Oct 20, 1970 Att0rneyScofield, Kokjer, Scofield and Lowe [73] Assignee K.E.T.G. Corporation Kansas City, Misso' uri ABSTRACT: Air to be conditioned 1s passed in heat exchange a corporation of Mlssoun relationship through a coil which is selectively supplied with a relatively hot (for heating) or cold (for cooling) fluid. The hot fluid through and departing the coil is so controlled as to volume, pressure, velocity and rate of change of state that it is partially liquefied and then again expanded for entrance to the suction side of a compressor, the control of the gas resulting in the reduction of pressure without absorbing heat from the surrounding atmosphere. During heating, the bulk of the expan- [54] AIR CPNDITIONENGFMETHOD AND SYSTEM sion takes place in a section of the system termed as a simula- 14 1 Draw tor. During air cooling operations, the coil is supplied with low [52] US. 165/], pressure fluid, the fluid moving from the simulator to the conditioning coil. The simulator acts during cooling operation to lower the temperature and pressure of the fluid and prepare it 165/29, 30, for entry into the coil. A single reversible valve is provided for switching from heating to cooling operation.

[51] Int. [50] Field cxl l l L--- Patented Oct 80, 1970 QQN INVENTOR Sfeven .51 leoagens BY I I I II A T'TORNISYE AIR CONDITIONING METHOD AND SYSTEM .The application is a continuation-in-part application of my copending U.S.,Pat. application Ser, No. 661,438, filed August 17, 1967, entitled Heat Generator", now abandoned.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Conventional mechanical air conditioning systems designed both for heating and cooling require condensor-evaporators which are located outside the area being conditioned. In providing heat, the unit acts as a heat pump, assuming that the evaporator is located in a medium having a temperature which is above the gas temperature in the evaporator. When such a unit is switched to cooling, operating on normal mechanical refrigeration principles, the condensor liberates heat and is 7 also located outside the conditioned space. Separate evaporator and condensor coils are employed. It is necessary to provide a communication between indoors and outdoors for these coils during certain phases of the operation.

The present invention is directed to the provision of both a method and system for heating and cooling which embodies some of the principles of mechanical heat generation and refrigeration, but which combines therewith a control over the fluid heat transmitting medium (refrigerant) such as to permit all components of the system to be located indoors for both winter and summer operation. The method and system embodying the invention thus provides a way of replacing the conventional heat pump with a heat generator having the capability of alternately operating as a refrigeration machine and having all its component parts within the room or enclosure to be conditioned.

One of the principal advantages of the present invention is that by virtue of eliminating any need for an outside condensor or evaporator, a self-contained, heating and cooling unit is provided, which is easily installed and'set in operation, and which, when desired, can be shifted easily from place to place as conditions require.

Another important advantage and object of the invention is to provide a method and system for air conditioning which simplifies the air moving equipment requirements. In my invention, the only blowers required are those for moving air through the main conditioning coil. Since no separate evaporator or condenser is needed, there are no blowers required for suchcomponents.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method and system of air conditioning in which the only external energy source required to obtain either heating or cooling is that needed to operate a gas compressor and an air circulating blower or fan.

Still another object of'the invention is to provide an air conditioning system in which the changing of the system from one supplying heat to one which refrigerates isaccomplished by manipulation of but a single valve. his a special feature of the invention that the increased quantity of refrigerant for the system, which is employed when operating on a refrigeration basis rather than'heating, is stored automatically in the system and becomes available promptlyupon reversal of the system.

Other and further objects of the invention, together with the features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear in the course of the following description.

' DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the accompanying drawing, the single FIG. is a schematic representation of an air conditioning system constructed in accordance with and operable to carry out the method of the invention. v

Referring to the drawing, reference numeral 10 indicates a conventional gas compressor designed to pump a typical refrigerant, preferably a Freon type refrigerant such as Freon 22. Preferably, the compressor is of the sealed type and is electrically powered from any convenient source. The compressed gas is discharged from the compressor throughv the high side discharge line 11. The suction or low side line for the compressor is indicated at 12. These lines are coupled with a reversing valve 13, the purposes of which will be explained subsequently herein.

With the valve 13 set in the position illustrated in the drawing,'which coincides with the heat generation phase of the system, compressed gas is delivered through valve 13 to the line 14. The line 14 connects through a fitting 15 with a line 16 of somewhat larger diameter. As will subsequently be explained in greater detail, concentrically positioned within line 16 is a smaller diameter return line. In any event, fluid flow through line 16 is in the annulus between the contained inner line and inside wall of the line 16. This flow proceeds to fitting 17 and into the header 18 of a coil which is set up basically in three sections, 19, 20 and 21. The sinuously continuous tubes 19a of section 19 are connected at their upper ends with header 18, and at the lower ends with another header 20. This header has connected with it an end pipe 22 which leads to the header 23 of the coil section 20. The sinuously continuous tubes 20a of the section 20 extend from header 23down to another header 24. Capillaries 25 are also connected with header 24, these capillaries being connected with a common line 26 having a back check valve 27 and which prevents flow from header 24 through pipe 26.

Leading from header 24 is a connector line 28 which returns up to a serially connected bundle of U'tubes in the section 21 and from which departs the line 29. The line 29 proceeds intact through the fitting 17 into the interior of the line 16. Line 29 connects interiorly of line 16 with the inner line 30 which emerges from line 16 at fitting 15 in the form of line 31. The line 31 leads through a check valve 32 into the header 33a of the bundle of tubes and associated headers which is located within the broken line identified at 33. This section is the section which will hereinafter be referred to as the simulator.

The simulator includes a plurality of vertical serially connected U-tubes providing the upper parallel tube runs 33b. The lower ends of the tube sections or lengths 33b are connected to one side of a header 330 from the opposite side of which extend the ends of somewhat larger diameter tube sections 33d arranged in vertical and parallel banks. The outside pairs of these tubes are arranged with cross overs 33ewhich continue tubes in alternate planes as at 33f therebelow. The lower ends of tube sections 33f are connected into a header 33g.

Header 333 has two connections in addition to the tubes, namely one which leads to the check valve 27 and another which leads through line 34 upwardly through check valve 35 and to the 'l" 36. A line 37 runs upwardly from T" 36, this line connecting with header 33a and including a check valve 38 preventing back flow from the header.

The third nipple of the T' 36 is connected with the line 39 which leads to one of the ports of valve 13. In the condition of the system illustrated in the drawing, line 39 is connected to the valve to the suction line 12 of compressor 10.

Returning now to a further description of the simulator, while various arrangements of tube bundles and tanks or headers may be employed to achieve the purpose of theinvention (for example, see the arrangement disclosed in my copending US. Pat. application Ser. No. 661,438, of which this application is a continuation-in-part, now abandoned), it isessential to the success of the structure that the volume of the simulator be at least three times, but less than nine times,

' the per stroke piston displacement of the compressor. In carrying out the method, the gas pressure in the simulator must be maintained at least twice the gas pressure at the suction entrance to the compressor.

Also in the simulator, I prefer to set up a 3:425 relationship between the inside diameters of tubes 33b, 33d and 33]". In other words, in a typical installation, the inside diameter of tubes 33b would be inch, that of tubes 33d 1% inch, and of tubes 33f it; inch.

To complete the description of the system itself, it will be noted that the coil assembly 19, 20, 21 has associated therewith and is located within the shroud of a fan housing 40.

Contained within the housing 40 is a fan 41 driven by motor 42. It will be understood that this particular circulating arrangement is shown in schematic form only and for purposes of illustration. Preferably, the intake to the housing will be exposed to the room in order that air will be recirculated from the room through this coil. The simulator 33 need not be located adjacent the fan. It can be placed at any location desired and need not be placed in the path of air flow.

For purposes subsequently to be described, the suction line 12 is of smaller inside diameter than the line 39 with which it is connected to the simulator.

in carrying out the heating operation, the system is charged with a suitable refrigerant gas such as Freon 22. The system is so sized as to permit the compressor to develop a high side pressure of between 200 and 450 p.s.i., but preferably approximately 375 p.s.i. The desired temperature of the gas at the discharge of the compressor ranges from between 140 and 160F.

Referring to the drawing, the compressed gas flows through valve 13 and into lines 14 and 16 to the main working coil through which air is being circulated by fan 41. At the coil, the pressure will preferably be between 300 and 400 p.s.i., with the temperature approximately 140 to l55F. The gas is still pure gas at this point, with no liquids present.

During flow through the coil tube sections 19, 20 and 21, the gas liberates to the air; by the time it reaches the bottom header 24, the pressure has been reduced to approximately 200 to 250 p.s.i., with a temperature of around 290F. The state of the gas is such that at this point it is percent to 50 percent liquid by weight, but with the liquid in the form of a fine mist which is highly unstable and at the point of flashing rapidly back into gas. This FlG. will, of course, vary, depending on the temperature of the air being circulated through the coil. Upon departing the coil at line 29, the temperature has been reduced to approximately l25 and at this point the liquid content is reduced somewhat, being now between 0 and 30 percent because of the heat that is added through proximity of section 20 to the upper and lower sections 19 and 20. The gas reduces velocity somewhat and its pressure increases to around 290 to 350 p.s.i. The gas departing through line 29 flows in counterflow relationship with the hot gas flowing through line 16, return gas flowing through the contained line 30 within line 16. As it moves through this line, its velocity is further increased due to the heat that is added from the gas in line 16.

Entering the header 33a of the simulator 33, preferably the gas will have a pressure of between 200 and 375 p.s.i. and a temperature of approximately 1 Due to the makeup of the simulator and the increasing inside diameter of the tubes, the gas is accelerated and any liquid contained thereinflashes back into gas without requiring any substantial heat, and thus absorbing essentially no heat from the surrounding atmosphere. The simulator operates to bring the pressure of the gas down to a pressure of between 50 and 100 p.s.i. at fitting 36, with the temperature in the vicinity of 40F. A further reduction takes place through line 12, which as noted earlier, is of smaller diameter than line 39. Some cooling may take place along this line, but it can be insulated easily and the gas is returned to the compressor in the range of 50m 100 p.s.i., with the temperature below 40F.

The cycle thus described is continuously repeated so that there is a constant supply of heat as long as the compressor is operating.

it is readily apparent from the above that this system has completely eliminated the need for an exterior heat source such as required in the standard heat pump arrangement. The arrangement is such that effective heating is obtained with all components of the system located indoors. While the 'size can be varied to meet any requirements, I have found that an average size room can be heated on a cold winter day with only the electricity necessary to operate 1% hp. compressor.

To effect the cooling operation, the valve 13 only has to be reversed, thereby to connect the discharge line 11 with line 39 leading to the simulator and the suction line 12 to line 14. immediately, flow is reversed.

In the cooling operation, the hot gas is delivered through line 39 to the header 33a of the compressor, being blocked from flow to the lower header 33g by the check valve 35. Gas will be delivered at a pressure of 300 to 400 p.s.i. and the temperature of between 340 and 355F. The gas flows downwardl ythrough the stages of the simulator and during its flow it loses both pressure and temperature, these being converted to increased velocity. At the bottom header 33g, the desired pressure is around 200 lbs. per square inch, the temperature of between l00 and F. From the simulator, the gas flows through check valve 27 and'lin'e 26 into the capillaries 25 which serve to meter the gas intothe lower header 24 of the coil section 20. In the metering section 25, the pressure is reduced drastically down to approximately between 20 and 40 p.s.i.

The suction of the compressor is, of course. imposed on line 16 and coil header 18 by virtue of the connection between line 12 and line 14. There will be no flow through coil section 21 and line 29 during the cooling phase. As a matter of fact, this section, along with its accompanying lines 29, 30, provides a storage trap for refrigerant which is ready for use when the system is turned around again to the heating operation.

it will be hoted also that the section of line 26 to valve 27 serves as a storage trap for gas during heating operation and provides a source of gas which immediately is available to the cooling coil upon reversal of the system. During heating operation. there is no flow through line 26 since check valve 27 prevents flow toward the simulator. immediately upon reversal, and as suction is applied to the top header 18 of the coil, the pressure is reduced in the coil and gas will flow through the metering section 25. This provides an immediate supply of gas for prompt cooling of the coil.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure.

it will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth, or shown in the accompanying drawing, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting.

lclaim:

1. Apparatus for conditioning air within an enclosure by either adding heat to or removing heat from the air, said apparatus comprising:

a gas compressor having a high side and a low side;

, a simulator in contact with said air in said enclosure and having an input end and a take out end;

a heat exchange coil in contact with said air in said enclosure and having a first end and a second end;

fan means for blowing air over said coil; and

means for selectively establishing, on a mutually exclusive basis, between (i) a heat adding condition for the apparatus in which the high side of the compressor is connected with said first end of said coil, the second end of said coil is connected with said input end of the simulator, and the take but end of the simulator is connected with said low side of the compressor, and (2) a heat removing condition in which said low side is connected with said first end of said coil, said high side is connected with the input end of said simulator, and the output end of said simulator is connected with said second end of said coil. 2. Apparatus as in claim 1, including meteringmeans positioned in the flow path of said gas between-said-take out end of said simulator and said second end of said;c'oil and operable, during condition (2) to createa substantial pressure drop across said metering means. I I w 3. Apparatus as inclaim 1, including a one way valve preventing flow in the direction from the second end of said coil to the take out end of said simulator.

4. Apparatus as in claim 1, including means operable during condition (1 to guide gas moving from said high side to said first end of said coil in heat exchange relationship with gas moving from said second end of said coil to said input end of said simulator.

5. Apparatus as in claim 1. in which said selective means includes a reversing valve.

6. The method of selectively adding heat to or removing it from a body of air within an enclosure with a device in contact with said body of air and having a main heat exchange coil and a simulator serially connected with said coil. comprising the steps of:

flowing hot gas in the direction whereby it moves first through the coil and then to the simulator to liberate heat into said body while applying suction to the simulator;

reversing the flow of direction so that the suction is imposed on the coil with the hot gas flowing into the simulator prior to its passage to the coil; and

metering the gas into the coil during the reverse flow direction for expansion of said gas. thereby to remove heat from the air.

7. A heat generating method comprised of the continuous steps of:

said expansion is accompanied by dampening of flow pulsations in said transmitting fluid.

9. A heat generating method as claimed in claim 7 wherein heat is liberated from said fluid during expansion, said heat liberation made possible by controlling said expansion such that the temperature of said fluid remains above the temperature of the surrounding environment until such fluid is discharged through the metering means returning said fluid for recompression.

10. A heat generating method as claimed in claim 7 wherein said expansion is accomplished in four stages.

11. A heat generating method as claimed in claim 7 wherein said transmitting fluid is maintained as a fine mist during said expansion.

12. A heat generator comprising: a transmitting fluid;

a compressor having a high pressure outlet and a low pressure inlet;

a bank of heat conducting coils having a high pressure side and a low pressure side. said high pressure side connected to the high pressure side of said compressor;

a means for conveying air over said coils so as to remove heat from said transmitting fluid;

means for expanding said transmitted fluid such that heat is liberated rather than absorbed from the surrounding environment; and

means connecting the discharge of said expansion means to the low pressure inlet of said compressor and the inlet to the low pressure side of said coils.

13. Apparatus for conditioning air by either adding heat to or removing heat from the air. said apparatus comprising:

a gas compressor having a high side and a low side.

a simulator having an input end and a take out end;

a heat exchange coil having a first end and a second end and made up ofa multiple number otscctions;

fan means for blowing air over said coil;

means for selectively establishing on a mutually exclusive basis. between l a heat adding condition for the apparatus in which the high side of the compressor is connected to first end of said coil. the second end of said coil is connected with said input end of the simulator. and the take out end of the simulator is connected with said low side of the compressor. and (2) a heat removing condition in which said low side is connected with said first end of said coil. said high side is connected with the input end of said simulator. and the output end of said simulator is connected with said second end of said coil; and

said heat exchange coil including means for preventing flow of gas through one of said sections of said coil during condition (2 14. Apparatus for conditioning air by either adding heat to or removing heat from the air. said apparatus comprising:

a gas compressor having a high side and a low side;

a simulator having an input end and a take out end and composed of a plurality of sections. each section being of greater internal volume than the preceding section and the ratio between volumes being in the order of 314:5;

a heat exchange coil having a first end and a second end;

fan means for blowing air over said coil; and

means for selectively establishing on a mutually exclusive basis. between (1) a heat adding condition for the apparatus in which the high side of the compressor is connected with said first end of said coil. the second end of said coil is connected with said input end of the simulator. and the take out end of the simulator is connected with said low side of the compressor, and (2) a heat removing condition in which said low side is connected with said first end of said coil, said high side is connected with the input end of said simulator. and the output end of said simulator is connected with said second end of said coil. 

